Thư tín thương mại (business letter) là công cụ vô cùng thuận tiện và quan trọng, khi muốn trao đổi, giao dịch với các đối tác và khách hàng nước ngoài, đặc biệt trong quá trình xuất nhập khẩu hàng hóa. Vì vậy, khi làm trong lĩnh vực xuất nhập khẩu - logistics, bạn cần phải nắm được cách viết thư tín thương mại sao cho đúng form và đầy đủ nội dung. Trong bài viết này, Hanexim sẽ giới thiệu với các bạn cách viết Business Letter nhé.
1. Letter head/ sender’s name and address.
2. Reference
3. Date
4. Inside Address
5. Attention Line
6. Salutation
7. Subject Tittle
8. Body of the letter
9. Complimentary close
10. Sender's identification
11. Enclosures
12. Copies
Bây giờ hãy cùng Hanexim đi tìm hiểu bố cụ chi tiết cho từng phần nhé.
1. The Heading (Letterhead)
Companies usually use printed paper where heading or letterhead is specially designed
- Usually at top right-hand corner, less common at top left-hand corner
- No punctuation
2. References
- At least one blank line below the sender’s address or letterhead
- Right-hand side or left-hand side of the page
- Can show:
+Initials of writer and PA/secretary. Eg: DS/MR or DS/mr
+Number of the letter or dept. Eg: 134/17 or DR 306
+The date or the order number
3. Date
- At least one blank line below the sender’s address or reference
- Right-hand side or left-hand side
- Always be shown in full:
Eg: 14 August 20__; or August 14, 20__
4. Inside Address
This is the address you are sending your letter to. It includes:
- Courtesy title: Mr, Mrs, Miss, Ms, Dr, Prof.
- The recipient's full name (or with initials for given names): Mr John Smith or Mr J.E. Smith
- The person’s job title (if you don’t know name): The Sales Manager / The Finance Director
- You also can address to a particular department: The Accounts Department
Or address to the company itself Compuvision Ltd / Messrs Collier
5. Attention Line
- Alternative to the recipient’s name or job title in the inside address.
- Should be underlined or printed in bold or CAPITALS, e.g.
- Eg: For the attention of the Sales Manager
ATTENTION: MS TERRY ROBERTS
- A blank line below the inside address.
- Left-hand side or in the middle of the page.
6. Salutation
- Addressing people you know their names:
+but do not know them well, use title & surname, do not include initials or first names:
Dear Mr Smith / Dear Miss Brown
NOT Dear Mr J. Smith or Dear Mr John Smith
+and you know them well, use just first name:
Dear John / Dear Mary
Note: A comma after the salutation is optional. In American English, a colon is used instead.
7. Subject Tittle
- A blank line below the salutation.
- Left-hand side or in the middle
- Can begin with or without “Re:” or “Subject:”
- Should be underlined or printed in bold or CAPITALS
Dear Mrs Marshall
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE – 24 AUGUST 2011
or Re: ORDER NO. 8901/6
8. Body Of The Letter
- The actual message of your letter
- Leave a line space between each paragraph.
9. Complimentary close
Two most common closes:
- If letter begins : Dear Sir/ Sirs/ Madam/ Sir or Madam
=> We use: Yours faithfully
- If letter begins: Dear Mr Smith/ Mrs Bola/ Caroline/ Sam
=> We use: Yours sincerely
- Note: A comma after the complimentary close is optional.
10. Sender’s identification
- Type name and job title below handwritten signature.
- Can give either your initials or full name
Eg: DAVID JENKINS D. Jenkins
Chairman General Manager
- Add a title for a female in brackets before or after her name
Eg: Lesley Bolan (Mrs) (Ms) B. Kaasen
Sales Manager Director
- Job title or department directly beneath name
- When signing a letter on behalf of the sender, write “pp” or “p.p.” or “for” in front of the sender’s printed name, e.g.
11. Enclosures
- A line space below the sender’s identification
- Consisting of the word: “Enc.” or “Encl.” followed by a list of the enclosed items, e.g.
Eg: Enc. Bill of Lading (3 copies)
Insurance certificate (1 copy)
12. Copies
- At least a blank line below the sender’s identification or the Enclosures
- Consisting of the word: “C.C.” or “Copy” followed by the name/s and designation/s of the copy recipient/s, e.g.
Eg: C.C. Ravi Gopal, General Manager
Candice Reeves, Accountant
Trên đây là business letter layout gồm đầy đủ 12 phần, trên thực tế, khi giao dịch thì không nhất thiết phải đầy đủ cả 12 phần như vậy. Với những khách hàng quen và giao dịch lâu thì có thể lược bớt 1 số phần không cần thiết. Sau đây là một số mẫu thư để bạn tham khảo nhé.
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